This disclosure relates generally to lighting techniques. More specifically, embodiments of the disclosure include techniques for manufacturing optical devices, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) using a separation process of thick gallium and nitrogen containing substrate members, such as GaN configured in polar, non-polar or semi-polar crystalline orientations or others. In some embodiments, the gallium and nitrogen containing substrate is configured in a trilateral shape. In other embodiments, the starting materials can include polar gallium nitride containing materials. Embodiments of the disclosure can be applied to applications such as white lighting, multi-colored lighting, general illumination, decorative lighting, automotive and aircraft lamps, street lights, lighting for plant growth, indicator lights, lighting for flat panel displays, other optoelectronic devices, and the like.
Solid state lighting techniques are known. Solid state lighting relies upon semiconductor materials to produce light emitting diodes. At first, red LEDs were demonstrated and introduced into commerce. Red LEDs use Aluminum Indium Gallium Phosphide or AlInGaP semiconductor materials. Most recently, Shuji Nakamura pioneered the use of InGaN materials to produce LEDs emitting light in the blue color range for blue LEDs. High intensity UV, blue, and green LEDs based on GaN have been proposed and even demonstrated with some success. Efficiencies have typically been highest in the UV-violet, dropping off as the emission wavelength increases to blue or green. Unfortunately, achieving high intensity, high-efficiency GaN-based green LEDs has been particularly problematic. Additionally, GaN based LEDs have been costly and difficult to produce on a wide-scale in an efficient manner. Although highly successful, solid state lighting techniques must be improved for full exploitation of their potential. These and other limitations may be described throughout the present specification and more particularly below.